Vaporizer for acer



April 5, 1955 w. w. SMITH ETAL 2,705,413

VAPORIZER FOR AGER Filed April 14, 1953 3 She etsSheet 1 IO IO INVENTORS WALDO W. SMITH HERBERT F. TUCKER BY MR7; M W

. ATTORNEYS April 9 w. w. SMITH EI'AL 2,705,413

VAPORIZER FOR AGER Filed April 14, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 o o O O l4 l6 I6 I4 ,15 I5 'INVENTORS WALDO W. SMITHI HERBERT F. TUCKER April 5, 1955 w. w. SMITH EI'AL VAPORIZER FOR AGER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 14, 1953 w E 1 N\\\\ \S INVENTORS WALDO W. SMITH ATTORNEYS HERBERT F. TUCKER United States Patent VAPORIZER FOR AGER Waldo W. Smith, Warwick Neck, and Herbert F. Tucker,

Rumford, R. I., assignors to Tower Iron Works, Provideuce, R. I., a partnership Application April 14, 1953, Serial No. 348,778 7 Claims. (Cl. 68-5) This invention relates to an ager of the type used in treating print goods and more particularly to improved means for vaporizing and mixing with steam acetic acid or the like volatile fluid within a housing or processing chamber.

In the manufacture of print goods it is customary to subject the freshly printed fabric to hot acidified water vapor substantially free from air and to this end the goods are passed through a steamer or ager consisting essentially of a substantially air tight housing of corrosion resistant material having an atmosphere of acidified water vapor. In order to insure uniform treatment of the goods it is necessary that the acidified water vapor or gaseous treating fluid be of homogeneous composition, and heretofore considerable difficulty has been encountered in completely vaporizing and uniformly dispersing or mixing the acid component with steam so as to secure an atmosphere free from droplets of the acid component which would injure the goods under treatment.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an ager having an elficient, reliable and economic means for vaporizing and mixing the acid component with wet steam and distributing the mixture uniformly throughout the ager, thereby to avoid the above noted difiiculties.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the rear portion of an ager embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the ager shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the lower part of the ager;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary isometric showing the pipe layout;

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of the parts constituting the acid vaporizing means; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

The embodiment herein shown for the purpose of illustration comprises a frame work (Figs. 1 and 2) having upright, horizontal and longitudinal members 1, 2 and 3 supporting the side, top and bottom walls 5, 6 and 7, and end walls 8 and 9 (Fig. 3) integral with the side and bottom walls, all of which are preferably of stainless steel and collectively define a substantially fluidtight elongate housing or enclosure surmounted by yoke like frame members 10 which impart the desired strength and rigidity. Within the housing are conveyor rolls 12 which conduct the printed fabric or other material under treatment in a sinuous path through the housing from the entrance to the exit end in conventional manner. The conveyor rolls are carried by shafts 14 which project through the openings to the side walls 5 and are supported by pillow blocks 15 mounted on the longitudinal frame members 3. Sealing means 16, preferably of the type shown in my copending application, Serial No. 291,646, filed June 4, 1952, fit about the shafts 14; and certain of the shafts carry sprockets or other suitable driving means operated in conventional manner. Above the upper conveyor rolls is a condensate inhibiting panel 18 (Fig. 2), preferably embodying the construction shown in copending application, Serial No. 323,202, filed November 29, 1952, which prevents condensate from accumulating above the conveyor rolls and consequent drippage onto the goods under treatment.

Beneath the lower conveyor rolls 12 is the acid vaporiz- 2,705,413 Patented Apr. 5, 1955 ing and mixing apparatus and an associated steam distributing system (Figs. 2-4) which comprises a small stainless steel pipe or conduit 20 which extends through the rear end wall of the housing, its inlet end being connected to a suitable flow control or mixing device (not shown) by means of which acetic acid or the like volatile treating fluid is passed into the conduit at a predetermined rate. Telescopically disposed about that part of the conduit 20 within the housing is a centrally disposed low pressure steam line or conduit 22 which extends approximately the full length of the housing, as shown in Fig. 3. The outer end of the conduit 22, ex teriorly of the housing, carries a Y-coupling 24, one branch of which fits about the conduit 20 and carries a bushing 25 to seal off the junction therewith, and the other branch of the Y is connected to line 26 running to a source of low pressure steam. The conduit 20 extends into the conduit 22 with its discharge end terminating a distance of several feet from the Y 24 to allow the acid to travel a distance sufficient to be heated to approximately its boiling point before being discharged into the conduit 22.

That portion of the conduit 22 inwardly of the discharge end of the conduit 20 and the section 22a connected therewith are provided with spaced perforations 28 (Fig. 6) which are preferably confined to their upper parts so that the steam-acid mixture discharged therefrom is directed upwardly. Telescopically disposed about the perforated portions of the conduits 20 and 22a are circular baffies 30 and 30a formed with elongate slots or discharge openings which are preferably confined to their undersides so as to discharge acid mixture downwardly. The baffies 30 and 30a are held in position by centering plates 34 and 35, the plates 34 being secured to the steam conduits and the plates 35 being welded or otherwise secured to the ends of the bafiles. The plates 35 carry studs 36 which project into openings in the plates 34 so as to hold the baflles and conduits properly aligned, as shown in Fig. 5. .A cap 38 (Fig. 5) fits the outer end of the batfie 30a and carries a centering stud 40 which projects into the end 22a of the steam conduit 22 so as not only to hold it properly centered, but also to provide a closure therefor. Beneath the baffles 30 and 30a are gutters 42 and 42a arranged not only to receive drippage from the baflles, but also to defllect the steam-acid mixture outwardly at an inclined ang e.

Between the bottom wall 7 and the vaporizing and mixing device are interconnected longitudinal and transverse steam distributing pipes 44 and 45 provided with a multitude of spaced lateral perforations 46 (Fig. 6) through which steam is discharged into the interior of the housing, it being understood that the lines 44 and 45 are connected with a suitable steam supply, control means, etc. The baffies, gutters and the centrally disposed steam distributing line 44 are held in properly spaced relation to each other by a plurality of spaced supporting members 50 (Fig. 6), the upper ends of which are formed with arcuate recesses to receive the baffles. Below the baffies are laterally projecting lugs 52 to which the ends of the gutters are bolted, and below the lugs are pipe supporting saddles 54 surrounding the lower parts of openings through which the steam pipes 44 extend. The outer steam pipes 44 are held in position by supports 56 which are generally similar to the supports 50 and the intermediate parts of the lateral steam pipes 45 are similarly held by supports 58,

In operation steam is admitted to the distributing lines 44 and 45 and low pressure steam (5-15 lbs. gauge) is admitted to the conduit 22, and when the air is displaced and the apparatus heated to the desired temperature acid is passed into the conduit 20 at a predetermined rate. As the acid flows through the conduit 20 it is heated to approximately its boiling point and is then discharged into the steam passing through line 22. The heat of the steam and resulting turbulence is effective to vaporize substantially all the acid and the mixture is discharged outwardly through the perforations 28 against the upper part of baffles 30 and 30a which deflects the mixture downwardly. Here again the resulting turbulence not only serves to vaporize any liquid acid entrained by the steam, but also to insure a uniform mixing of the steam and acid vapor. The mixture is finally discharged through the openings 32 in the baffles against the gutters 42 and 42a which deflect it outwardly into the multitude of steam jets issuing from the distributing lines 44 and 45 and diffusion rapidly takes place. In event droplets of unvaporized acid or condensate accumulates in the baflles 30 and 30a, it will drip into the gutters and due to the close proximity to the central steam line 44 evaporation quickly takes place. Hence, all acid passing through the conduit 20 is vaporized and mixed with the steam discharged from the conduit 22 and this gaseous mixture is then diffused with the steam issuing from the distributing lines. Consequently the interior of the housing is filled with a homogeneous atmosphere of acidified steam so that the print goods conducted through by conveyor rolls 12 are uniformly treated.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an ager of the type having top, side, end and bottom walls defining a substantially fluid-tight enclosure and means for conducting a fabric through said enclosure along a predetermined path above the bottom wall, acid vaporizing and mixing means beneath said path comprising an inner acid-conveying conduit, an outer steam conduit in spaced telescopic relation to said inner conduit, the entrance end of said inner conduit projecting beyond the corresponding end portion of said outer conduit, means sealing the junction of the inner and outer conduits, the discharge end of said inner conduit terminating inwardly of the opposite end of said outer conduit, that portion of said outer conduit beyond the discharge end of said inner conduit have a plurality of perforations through which fluid mixture of acid and steam is discharged, and baffle means spaced about and coextensive with the perforated portion of said outer conduit.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a network of perforated steam distributing pipes is interposed between said vaporizing and mixing means and the bottom wall of said enclosure.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the perforations in said outer conduit are arranged in a plurality of spaced rows.

4. In an ager of the type having top, side, end and bottom walls defining a substantially fluid-tight enclosure and means for conducting a fabric through said enclosure along a predetermined path above the bottom Wall, acid vaporizing and mixing means beneath said path comprising an inner acid-conveying conduit, an outer steam conduit in spaced telescopic relation to said inner conduit, the entrance end of said inner conduit projecting beyond the corresponding end portion of said outer conduit, means sealing the junction of the inner end and outer conduits, the discharge end of said inner conduit terminating inwardly of the opposite end of said outer conduit, that portion of said outer conduit beyond the discharge end of said inner conduit have a plurality of perforations at its upper part through which the fluid mixture of acid and steam is discharged, and a perforated conduit surrounding in spaced relation at least the upper part of the perforated portion of said outer conduit.

5. In an ager of the type having top, side, end and bottom walls defining a substantially fluid-tight enclosure and means for conducting a fabric through said enclosure along a predetermined path above the bottom wall, acid vaporizing and mixing means beneath said path comprising an inner acid-conveying conduit, an outer steam conduit in spaced telescopic relation to said inner conduit, the entrance end of said inner conduit projecting beyond the corresponding end portion of said outer conduit, means sealing the junction of the inner and outer conduits, the discharge end of said inner conduit terminating inwardly of the opposite end of said outer conduit, that portion of said outer conduit beyond the discharge end of said inner conduit have a plurality of perforations through which the fluid mixture of acid and steam is discharged, and a third conduit coextensive with and in spaced telescopic relation to the perforated portion of said outer conduit, the under part of said third conduit having discharge openings for said fluid mixture.

6. In an ager of the type having top, side, end and bottom walls defining a substantially fluid-tight enclosure and means for conducting a fabric through said enclosure along a predetermined path above the bottom wall, acid vaporizing and mixing means beneath said path comprising an inner acid-conveying conduit, an outer steam conduit in spaced telescopic relation to said inner conduit, the entrance end of said inner conduit projecting beyond the corresponding end portion of said outer conduit, means sealing the junction of the inner and outer conduits, the discharge end of said inner conduit terminating inwardly of the opposite end of said outer conduit, that portion of said outer conduit beyond the discharge end .of said inner conduit have a plurality of perforations through which the fluid mixture of acid and steam is discharged, a steam distributing pipe beneath said outer conduit, a cylindrical baffle coextensive with and surrounding the perforated portion of said outer conduit, the underside of said cylindrical baflle having openings arranged so that said mixture is deflected downwardly, and a gutter interposed between said cylindrical baffle and steam distributing pipe so as to receive unvaporized liquid from said baffle.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said cylindrical baflle, gutter and steam distributing pipe are maintained at spaced points above the bottom wall of said enclosure by a plurality of commonsupporting means resting on said bottom wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 93,596 Carter Aug. 10, 1869 215,173 Smith May 6, 1879 268,556 Simpson Dec. 5, 1882 427,069 Gessner May 6, 1890 1,738,947 Chapin Dec. 10, 1929 1,790,749 Hofstetter Feb. 3, 1931 2,219,830 Whisenhunt Oct. 29, 1940 2,254,691 MacLelland Sept. 2, 1941 2,485,710 Derby Oct. 25, 1949 2,602,314 Cohn July 8, 1952 2,638,765 Quinn May 19, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,406 Great Britain May 21, 1947 

